Minn., other exchanges do better than federal site

ST. PAUL, Minn. - New federal figures show Minnesota and other states running their own health insurance exchanges are doing better than the 36 states relying on the problem-filled federal website.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says completed applications have been filed for over 31,000 Minnesotans. Nearly 6,800 of them have been deemed eligible for subsidies to help pay for private plans, while nearly 9,200 others are eligible for Medicaid. But only 1,774 had gone as far as actually choosing an insurance plan offered on MNsure as of Nov. 2.

While MNsure's launch Oct. 1 was plagued by glitches, it's generally running smoother now than the federal site. MNsure officials have said they're pleased with the pace of enrollment and expect it to accelerate as a Dec. 15 deadline approaches.

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